What to Expect When You Take the High Road

Belay ad:
Got big plans for 2026? Of course you do. You’re a leader with vision. But when you spend the new year catching up on last year’s leftovers, that vision suffers. Being a better leader doesn’t mean doing it all. It means doing what matters most. If you want to start this year strong and ensure your priorities don’t get sidelined again, you need the capacity to focus on the work that only you can do. Belay has helped thousands of busy leaders do just that. They pair you with a vetted US based assistant so you can take back your time and lead with clarity.

Belay ad:
To get you started, Belay is offering free downloads of their resource 26 Things to Stop Doing in 2026. It outlines exactly what tasks you can delegate to reach your leadership potential. To claim this offer, click just text Maxwell to 55123. That’s MAXWELL to 55123. Take control of your year before it controls you.

Mark Cole:
Welcome to the Maxwell Leadership Podcast. We we exist to add value to you, and that’s exactly what we want to do today so that you will then go and multiply value to others. What does it take to stay on the high road of leadership? Traci Morrow, I am so glad you’re here with me today. I’m so glad that you’re just ready to talk about what to expect on the high road. But first, I got to tell you how was. If you’re listening to this live, just not too long ago was Thanksgiving. How was Thanksgiving?

Traci Morrow:
It was so wonderful. Thank you for asking. We had multiple generations. You know, we had my parents and then my brother and I and our families and then our children and then our grandchildren. And of course we always scoop up some, you know, friends from church who are misplaced, some college students. You know, the tables were full, but it’s. And I think we talked a few weeks ago about a new grandbaby coming in.

Mark Cole:
Yes.

Mark Cole:
And she is here.

Traci Morrow:
Debut appearance to the Thanksgiving table.

Mark Cole:
And let me tell you this, I guess this is okay to tell thousands and thousands of people. What’s her. What’s her middle name?

Traci Morrow:
She’s my namesake. That’s what. That was a huge surprise. We did not. I did not see that coming. Her name is Adeline Tracy.

Mark Cole:
Love it.

Traci Morrow:
Of course she is my. She’s going to get everything I have and own.

Traci Morrow:
But it was very special to have, you know, from my mom all the way down to my children and to my grandchildren. How was your Thanksgiving Day?

Mark Cole:
You know what?

Mark Cole:
It’s so good, so fortunate with.

Mark Cole:
Every day, every Thanksgiving matters. When my mom, the matriarch, is 97 years or 96 years young. And so it’s wonderful. And man, I’ll tell you, you look at both mine and your family and they have modeled high road leadership, which as we all know, John Maxwell has as well. Doing what’s right often has a price tag. And so we get to talk about that today. Stephen Covey says doing the right things for the right reasons in the right way is the key to a quality of life. And it’s so funny that me and you both, our legacy, our heritage are so important to us.

Mark Cole:
And here we are today, wrapping up. Gang, if you don’t know it, December 2025 is almost over. Are you ready for 2026? And so we get to talk about taking the high road into 2026, that’s for sure. You know, I’m reminded, Traci, of this and we’ll get to your questions and all of that, but this is the time of the year where I do year end review and I take my time and reflect on the previous year setting up for the next year. And I always ask myself the question, will I pay the price again? And I’m right in the middle of asking that on a personal level. And then this podcast is, hey, will you pay the price to stay on the high road and to use the high road? And so I’m super excited about talking about it with you today. So let’s get started. I want to get into what John talks about when he says what to expect with high road leadership.

Mark Cole:
Hey, if you would like to follow along today, you can get our bonus resource which is just the show notes that you’re able to capture. We’ll also put several different bonuses and tools for you to continue growing this week as well as you can Watch us on YouTube by going to the link MaxwellPodcast.com/WhatToExpect.

Mark Cole:
All right, grab your notes. Here we go. Here is John Maxwell.

John Maxwell:
Start paying the price to stay on the high road. I wish I could tell you that doing the right things for the right reasons doesn’t cost anything. But if I did, I wouldn’t be telling you the truth. Doing what’s right often has a price as you strive to take the high road by doing what’s right for the right reasons. Here’s what you should expect. The first time you pay is the hardest. If doing what’s right is a new experience, you will find the first time you pay a price to be the Very hardest. Why? Because it’s new.

John Maxwell:
We expect doing the right thing to be celebrated by all, but it rarely is. The first time I made a tough decision in my leadership, some people didn’t like it and that hurt my feelings because of my desire to please everybody. It made me ask myself, what’s wrong with me? If I were a better leader, would this have happened? But that was incorrect thinking. Making everyone happy is impossible and shouldn’t be anyone’s goal as a leader. Doing what’s right for the right reason should be the goal, even if it cost me. After you’ve paid a price for the first time, the next time will still be hard. But since you’ve done it before, you’ll know how to do it again. Maybe you don’t want to, but you can.

John Maxwell:
And each time you pay a price, you gain confidence, self respect and awareness that improves your leadership. You won’t always know the full cost on the front end. When I was a young leader, I assumed that I would be able to see the cost that I would have to pay as a leader to do the right things. I had no idea. Some of the cost you will see, others will be totally unexpected. In those seasons. If your motives are right and you make the best choices for everyone with the information that you have, remind yourself that you’re doing what you do believe is correct. Your account is never paid in full.

John Maxwell:
When I’ve spoken on the topic of paying the price as a leader, many people have come to me and asked, well, how often do I have to pay the price and when can I be done? Well, that answer is never. When we’re young and inexperienced, we hope and believe that we can pay a price once and then be done with it. But leadership just doesn’t work that way. Paying a price is a never ending process. It’s been my observation that when people stop growing and improving as leaders, it’s seldom due to a lack of capacity or ability. They stop because of an unwillingness to continually pay that price. If we want to grow in our leadership and hope to impact a greater number of people on a deeper level, on the high road, we need to expect to continue pain. The value of doing what’s right outweighs the cost.

John Maxwell:
Doing the right thing can cost you time, money, friendships and opportunities. But what’s the cost of not doing the right thing? Loss of self respect, harm to other people, guilt, regret, damage to your heart and soul. Don’t pay that cost. Do the right things and live on the high road. You won’t regret it. When you do what’s right, you’re not only taking the high road with others, you’re taking the high road with yourself. You live better and sleep better. When your conscience is clear and you try to give others your best on the high road, you may lose ground, but you will gain growth.

John Maxwell:
You may lose power, but you will gain strength. You may lose money, but you will gain wealth and you may lose celebrity, but you will gain credibility. Doing the right things for the right reasons will always cost a leader. Maybe not right away, but eventually it will. You need to be prepared to pay it and keep paying if you want to keep leading on the high road. But here’s the good news. If you pay the price, once you see positive results in others lives, you will find it’s worth whatever it costs you.

Maxwell Leadership App Ad:
Do you feel like you’re meant for more, but you’re not sure what next step to take. Whether you’re leading a team, building your business or or just trying to lead yourself. Well, you don’t need more noise. You need wisdom. Real proven, practical wisdom. That’s why we created the Maxwell Leadership App. Inside you’ll get daily bite sized videos from John C. Maxwell and other world class thinkers designed to help you grow.

Maxwell Leadership App Ad:
Every day you’ll unlock curated playlists on personal growth, leadership, mindset, communication, confidence and much more. All for just 9.99amonth. And here’s the best part. It’s growth on your terms, at your pace in your pocket, ready to go further and grow faster. Download the Maxwell Leadership app today. Go to MaxwellPodcast.com/App or click the link in the show notes. Try it free for seven days with the code PODCAST7. That’s podcast the number seven.

Mark Cole:
So Traci, let’s do this. I mean we’ve got High Road modeled all around us and including John and our families. Let’s talk a little bit about this. What to expect on the high road.

Traci Morrow:
That’s right. I would love to. And for some this might be asking. You know John, this is a lesson all about really talking about paying the price. And I think for some people listening in, this might be your very first time thinking about paying the price. And for those of you welcome. We’re so glad that you are thinking about this question because this is good for all of us to be thinking about this for our mental health, for going the distance in our leadership, but also for the team that we are leading. Because every time as we are, we’re going to talk more and more about re upping and talking about thinking about Paying the price.

Traci Morrow:
But. But also, you know, when John talks about doing the right thing, I would say, mark, that every leader would say, of course, of course I’m going to do the right thing and setting those expectations up at the front. But I feel like these are. This is the kind of lesson to me where John. You have to scratch just a little bit below the surface where John is talking about a lesson that has been hard won for him and for anyone who’s been a leader for any, any amount of time. And it seems like, you know, anyone, while anybody would say, yes, of course I’m gonna do that, it usually means he’s talking about something that we might not know yet as a. Maybe a leader coming in and having big expectations for great things. But maybe not as much about paying the price.

Traci Morrow:
He’s not really spelling it out exactly. He kind of gives some ideas of what it might be because it’s pro. Probably nuance to every leader and their situation. But can you give maybe an idea, an example to us of a price that you had to pay that you. You were maybe surprised that you had to pay that as you looked back and you thought, oh, that’s what John was talking about. Because John said, I was so surprised. What was something that surprised you that you had to pay?

Mark Cole:
So, you know, boy, I think back to multiple times to where I paid more than I thought I needed to pay, and I paid it longer than I thought. I think the first thing that I would say in response, Traci, is oftentimes when you’re paying the price, it’s harder to talk about it than it is after you have paid the price. And I don’t know if that’s humility, like, is that complaining, man, I’m paying a real price right now. I’m just telling you it is costly to me right now. Nobody ever really talks in present tense. And I think that’s what. Sometimes when we have this conversation, I go back, boy, I can tell you. I can tell you of giving up everything to try to make something work, I mean, everything.

Mark Cole:
Only for it not to work, only for it not to be attempted to work. It takes two, you know, and I’m going to give up everything. I’m going to sacrifice everything. I’m going to let it go, and then the other person’s not willing to pay the price. And so you gave up everything, and yet it didn’t give the results that you thought. But I will tell you this, when I go back and I say every time that I paid the price, Traci, every time that I prayed, the price for something I felt was worth it. I have no regrets. Literally no regrets.

Mark Cole:
I cannot think of a time where I went my. I wish I had not paid that for where I am now. And I think that’s because when your heart is right, with right motives. We did an episode on the podcast not too long ago about paying about motives and about your heart being right. And I go back to every example that jumps into my mind when you talk about that paying the price and what it felt like never felt good in the process, always felt right after it was done. And there’s never any regrets in having paid the price. So how do I go back? Maybe to somebody that’s listening to the podcast now and you are paying a price you did not anticipate. I would constantly remind yourself of why you made the decision to sacrifice to pay the price in the first place.

Mark Cole:
Typically, the reason that you are willing to pay a price you’ve never paid before.

Mark Cole:
Is because of an anticipated dream or an anticipated payoff that is going to make a difference in your life and in your development. And I wouldn’t want. I subscribe 100% that anything worthwhile is uphill, that everything worthwhile costs you more than you’re willing to pay and will take you longer than you’re willing to stay every time. Yet, if I could challenge you today, and you’re paying a price, keep paying it. Keep paying it. Bet on yourself. Again, I mentioned a little bit earlier in the show that this is the time of the year that I ask the question, will I pay the price again? The answer is yes. Yes, I will pay the price again.

Mark Cole:
Because especially when we’re talking about high road activity, it’s always worth it when you lay your head down to have made the sacrifice to walk the high road. Always. I can promise you.

Traci Morrow:
I think it’s good to hear from the voice of experience of someone who says, I’m glad I did it, rather than like, oh, man, that was terrible. You know, really think it through. You know, Don, and you are not saying, oh, it’s, it’s a high price to pay. Really think about it before you get into it. You’re saying, it’s a high price to pay, but it’s so worth it. I think that’s a very distinguishing.

Mark Cole:
You know, it’s funny, Tracy, you and I were talking right before we started recording about just the significance of this lesson. In fact, in some ways, the hardness of this lesson. And yet I’m reminded, John says we often Heard the statement, pay now to play later, Pay now to play later, get your hard work done so that it gets easier down the road. And John stopped saying that at 78 and he said, pay now to pay more later. In other words, you do what’s hard so that you can do harder the next time. And high road leadership is like that. You don’t make a one time decision to walk the high road, to travel the high road. It’s a constant, everyday decision.

Mark Cole:
And the problem is with the high road is not many people up there. The great news is the traffic’s light. There’s not a whole lot up there. But that lends itself to realize that you can do all the high road activity in the world and people are still gonna take the low road response to your high road activity. And that makes the price tag that much weightier, that much more significant.

Traci Morrow:
Yeah. You know, I do really appreciate that John does lessons like this, that it’s not all Pollyanna and everything is shiny and good. It does give you the reality check that it, that there are hard lessons in leadership that you do, that you do. It’s wonderful. It’s a blessing. It’s deeply a blessing to lead, to be in this position. But that there, this is a weighty lesson and I appreciate him for that telling the truth. So I do want to have a motives question, but I did want to just ask, don’t you think, just a quick sidebar.

Traci Morrow:
Don’t you think that this is kind of a lesson also? He’s not saying it, but it bears addressing that it’s kind of a lesson that of the importance of your inner circle and having a mentor. Because to go through all of this alone, I mean, of course the podcast is a mentor. It’s. John is mentoring through the podcast and through his books and through live events and, and him being a mentoring voice and, and you being a mentoring voice and you saying, hey, I’m with you in this as well. But also, don’t you think having people that you can have a conversation with and talk about with and say, hey, help keep me on track? Help. Am I off in my motives? Am I off in my mindset? Am I getting to, am I circling the drain? My getting too negative? Am I, am I positive? Don’t you think this is also showing the importance of having an inner circle and someone who is a mentor to say, hey, you got to keep paying the price, you’re going down a wrong path?

Mark Cole:
Maybe I couldn’t agree with you more. I think it does underscore it Highlights. It illuminates the need to be on the journey with someone, with people that are keeping you sane. John’s doing in 2026, John is doing a program called the Maxwell Masterclass. And what he has promised these 78 people that he is spending the year with, he’s promised them that he’s going to take them behind the curtains on leadership and he’s going to deal with things like what we’re dealing with today. The true price of loneliness as a leader, the true cost of giving up when nobody else will. The true challenge of trying something bigger than you even think is possible. And at the point of this recording of the podcast, I anticipate this.

Mark Cole:
I’m hungry for this. It’s probably the thing that I’m most longing for right now to learn is that backside or difficult side of leadership. But here’s what I can tell you. I already know, and John hasn’t given the lesson yet. You cannot do it. You can’t make the journey by yourself. Loneliness should be a state of mind, of seeing more and before, not a state of relationship that you have nobody around you. And so I don’t expect everybody to feel what I feel or see what I see.

Mark Cole:
Every leader is supposed to see more and see before, but I don’t want to be caught in, in that spirit of loneliness because you’re seeing more and doing more than others. Being alone, you can, you can have a loneliness feel without being alone. And I think that’s the point that you’re driving right there. Take people with you.

Traci Morrow:
Yeah. And not necessarily the people who you’re leading. You need to have somebody because they need to see you strong. They need to see you out front. They need to see you casting vision and being positive. But, but not that you’re being disingenuous, but they don’t need to see all of the issues. I think you touched on it a little bit at the top of this, of this podcast is you were saying, you know, you don’t always lead from the issues. You wait until they’re passed through.

Traci Morrow:
Maybe said a little bit more succinctly. You, you want to teach from your scars, not your wounds.

Mark Cole:
Yeah.

Traci Morrow:
And so, so, but, but from when you’re in your wounds, that’s with your team and the people you’re leading, but with your, with your mentor and with your inner circle, it’s okay to be in your wounds and have them speak into that and encourage you. Okay. So I know you said that you had, you know, we just went through motives a little bit on the podcast a little bit before, but for people who are, maybe this is a new concept for them. Can you just touch very briefly, John said, if your motives are right. He, he said that and that really stood out to me. Can you just briefly say, and again, it might seem like it’s a no brainer, but what are good motives for a leader?

Mark Cole:
Well, I think we taught this two weeks ago. I think motives is all about when you are motivating people or when you’re manipulating people. When your motive is for your benefit rather than the benefit of others. You’re not on a high road, you’re on a low road. And it’s going to impact those around you because you begin to manipulate them to what you want rather than motivate them to what could be for them. And I think when we’re talking right here about doing what’s right often has a price. I can tell you this. High road leadership has a price.

Mark Cole:
Motives that are for others has a price. It will cost you something and you may not get a return on that. We talked in that same lesson that you get a relational return, you get an emotional return, but you get a leadership return when your motive is right and it’s for other people. And I tell you today we’re wrapping this year up talking about a big subject called high road leadership. Here’s the deal. There’s not a lot of models around us right now of high road leadership conduct. It’s just not there. You can’t go to the news and see it anymore.

Mark Cole:
You can’t oftentimes, I hate to say this, you can’t go to a place of worship and even see it sometimes. There’s too many examples of places to where you used to get high road leadership. A no brainer, doing the right thing, doing for others what you wish could be done to you was such a no brainer. There’s not enough models of that right now. That’s why I’m calling you podcast family, podcast viewers. We need to step up and show a model of high road leadership.

Traci Morrow:
Yeah, absolutely. It doesn’t have to be a famous person. It doesn’t have to be somebody in a huge place. Unfortunately, it doesn’t need to be. It can be. But fortunate for all of us, it could be regular people. It needs to be regular people like you and I. Okay.

Traci Morrow:
John says your account is never paid in full when you are paying the price. And so talk. Take a moment and talk to some of our leaders at the end of 2025 and some of our Leaders, maybe close to all of our leaders might be feeling a little bit weary, Mark. And so they are perhaps in the middle of or getting close to starting on their year end review. They’re following your example, they’re following John’s example, and they are asking or getting ready to ask themselves, perhaps for the first time. For others, it’s the question they ask every, every year in December, am I willing to again pay the price? We know that you asked this question. We know that John asked this question. So walk us through how you determine how you answer this question every year so that when you step into the brand new year, you are stepping in with fresh energy and fresh perspective.

Mark Cole:
I’m reminded John wanted an invitation to get into this real exclusive club one time. And we thought the call was coming. And so Linda, John’s a longtime executive assistant. Many of you have heard us talk about Linda. Everything we know, I think we’ve learned from Linda around here.

Traci Morrow:
But she’s wonderful.

Mark Cole:
She is. And so Linda said, now, John, do I ask them how much? And he went, no, you don’t ask them how much, because if you have to ask, you don’t want to know. And if you don’t want to know, you really don’t want to be in. So do not ask them. Just tell them, yes, I will go figure it out. Now, here’s what John was saying. There is some things in life that are so worthy that the price point is never the question. The invitation and the willingness to do whatever it takes is the answer.

Mark Cole:
And I think it’s the same thing with high road leadership. The price tag of being a high road leader is not the point. Your willingness to pay whatever is the point. And so when John says, your account is never paid in full, it’s because you never stop having to pay up to travel this journey.

Mark Cole:
I can remember wanting this particular car so bad. This is such a temporal example. But indulge me for a moment. I can remember wanting this car so badly and just determining I was going to get this car. It wasn’t a collector’s. It was actually a new car. I just really wanted this car. And so I ordered it, got it.

Mark Cole:
They were getting ready to deliver it, and they said, Mr. Cole, you haven’t asked the price tag. Do you want to know? And I said, no, because it’ll scare me to tell you not to deliver it. Deliver it. We’ll figure out the price after I sign the contract. That’s never what you want to tell a salesperson, right? That I’m just gonna I just want this car. And boy, did I not have sticker shock after I bought the car. But here’s the point.

Mark Cole:
For you to really make a decision, for you to really determine that high road leadership, that taking the high road is the style of leadership you’re going to take. Don’t ask for the price tag, just be willing to pay.

Traci Morrow:
I agree with that. That’s great. Okay. So have you. He talked about losing relationships and I know that that is hard for leaders. I know it’s, you know, John talks often, you know, do. Are you willing to. Do you want to be friends or do you want to be loved or do you want to leave? And we all jokingly say we want both.

Traci Morrow:
But I’m curious, have you ever. Are you open to sharing? Have there been times where you have lost relationship.

Traci Morrow:
Or team members because you maybe waited too long? I don’t gather that you didn’t do the right thing, but maybe perhaps that you waited too long to do the right thing. So you either lost a team member or you lost a relationship or, or maybe respect your relationship in the team because you waited too long to do the right thing. I would say that maybe might be more the common thing.

Mark Cole:
Yeah. Yeah. And because you and I both, Tracy, are recovering people pleasers. We just really. And some days I don’t even know if we’re recovering. We’re just right in the middle of the obsession, you know.

Mark Cole:
But the relational side of leadership is always one that I will struggle with, that I will concern. I can remember. I don’t have time to teach. I wish I could. I can tell you that it’s an incredible lesson by a friend of ours named TD Jakes. For those of you that are in the faith community. You’ll know he’s a pastor and created a great work in Dallas, Texas, but he talked about that people on your team really fall into three categories. There’s the confidant, there’s the comrade, and then there’s the.

Mark Cole:
Oh my gosh, the not contrarian. I just lost it. Sorry, TD Jakes. But the comrade. Oh, constituent. You have the confidant, the constituent and the comrade. The comrade is against what you’re against. And they’ll come and go.

Mark Cole:
You’ll have a lot of comrades on your team throughout your leadership career. Then you have the constituent. And the constituent is what you’re for and that constituent, they’re for the same thing. And as long as you stay in the lane of what you’re for, they’re going to be right with you. But the Confidant. The confidant is the person that is for you. They’re not for what you’re for, they’re not for what you’re against, they’re for you. And I have allowed, on two occasions in my career, I have allowed a confidant to overstay their place in a comrade role or in a constituent role.

Mark Cole:
And by doing that, I lost them as a confidant because I kept them too long in a constituent role. So do I believe that we as leaders can overstay the effectiveness of relationships in our life? Yes. Do I believe we do it to the detriment of the relational connection? Yes. I also believe that we allow people to stay close when they are not doing stay close or high road behavior activity and we lose the momentum because we let people overstay their welcome. So I have allowed it on my side of overstaying the commitment of a relationship. I’ve allowed others to stay in a high road leader capacity when they did not exhibit high road leader behavior. I think one of my greatest disciplines this time of the year, every year, is to do a relationship inventory. I go and I look at the people that I spent the most amount of time with throughout the year and I make sure that they’re lifting me up or pulling me down.

Mark Cole:
And I’m not saying that I don’t always have just people that’s lifting me up around me, but I am very accountable to allowing people to stay in my proximity that are pulling me down.

Traci Morrow:
That’s good. And that’s, I’m, you know, that’s going to be helpful for somebody for this year as well. Okay, last question. So I know that John talks so often about there being no finish line and some days that can probably feel long, especially towards the end of the year when you’re feeling a little, when people are feeling a little weary as leaders. But do you also have those encouraging days, Mark, as a leader? So speaking as a leader for a few decades now in your, in your spot, in your sweet spot and in your calling. So now you’re talking to leaders who are in their calling but just starting out. And so where do you ever have those days where you just feel like, wow, now you’re building on your leadership in your, in your calling and you just feel like, okay, now this is what I’m talking about. This is, this is like momentum is building and you’re doing great.

Traci Morrow:
You’re where you’re feeling like you’re doing a little less.

Traci Morrow:
Counting the cost days and you’re feeling a Little bit more like, okay, I feel like some leaders need to hear that from someone farther up the hill, someone farther down the road who can say, you know, the longer you stay in it, even though there is no finish line, you aren’t always staying in that. Counting the cost. You do still count the cost, but it’s. You aren’t still gridding it out. You start to. Momentum picks up.

Mark Cole:
Yeah.

Mark Cole:
And for me, for me, and I hope this will help some. For me, the answer lies in gratitude. I will never allow myself to stay in a place to where I am lamenting how much I’m paying beyond a day, beyond a moment, beyond a reflection moment. I always replace the price that I’m paying with the ability to pay it, with the opportunity to pay it, with the resources to have it to pay. So always, always, always, I make sure that my mindset very quickly moves from how much I am paying, how long I have been paying it. Do I pay it again to gratitude? I get to pay it again. I cannot believe I’m still in the game. I am overwhelmed with the opportunity to even be able to write this check.

Mark Cole:
Whether it’s an emotional, financial, or relational check. I cannot believe what I get to do. I had. I mean, recently, just real recently, I had this moment, this day that I just said and said, I cannot believe the price that is being required of me right now. Nobody understands. Oh, it was a poor, pitiful me, Tracy. If you had been around, I would have let you play the violin while I just talked to myself about how tough everything was. It was tough.

Mark Cole:
It was tough. It was tough. It was tough. And I stayed in it, in the day for a full day. I can’t believe this. I can’t believe this is required of me again. Why is nobody else understanding the price point? Why am I the only one that seems to care? Oh, my goodness, why don’t I just quit and just stop? And I had this juniper tree moment where I’m sitting there under a tree with no leaves and a bearing sun, with no nighttime, just thirsty, with no water. I mean, I just had it going on.

Mark Cole:
But I’m telling you, the next morning I woke up and I started feeling the same way. I went, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. There may not be two good days, two consecutive good days in a leader’s life. I don’t believe there’s two days of lamenting and feeling sorry for yourself in a leader’s life either. And I woke up that next morning, I said, oh, no, no, no, that was yesterday’s story. Today’s story is can you believe I’m still considering this? Can you believe I’m still standing when everyone else counted me out? Can you believe the opportunity that is ahead of me? I began to replace it with a mindset because I believe too long of considering the price without considering the opportunity to pay the price will cause you to miss the opportunity altogether. And so for me, those of you that are out there lamenting the price, I get it. Just poor pitiful you for a day.

Mark Cole:
But when you’re done, get done quick and start being grateful for the opportunities that you do have. The opportunity to pay the price, the opportunity for the invitation to even be considered as worthy of paying the price and begin to change that self talk and that mindset and you’ll begin to see not only the skies clear emotionally, but you’ll begin to see pathways of payment that you could not see yesterday.

Traci Morrow:
When you were lamenting.

Traci Morrow:
Love that I love that. You know, I think that. Go ahead.

Mark Cole:
Sorry, you go ahead.

Traci Morrow:
No, I was just gonna say I think that leaves gratitude is a great thing to leave people with because I, I think sometimes we all can get wrapped around the axle of looking at how much we are paying in and I think we can all on the heels of Thanksgiving and looking at the holiday season ahead and the the new year beginning, gratitude is a great way to kick off the new year.

Mark Cole:
We have the Maxwell Growth app that we talk about periodically here on the podcast. On November 13, Chris Goede, who’s on the podcast with us sometimes he did a video called Regain trust through learning. And I can assure you this video will go right along with what Tracy and I and John have been talking about today. We’ll put that in the show notes. Go take advantage of that app. It’s free. You have access to video to continue the learning daily, not just weekly like the podcast. And it’ll help you.

Mark Cole:
There’s another resource that I want to give you called strength and resilience in leadership. This is an episode that we did several months ago. We’ll put that in the show notes as well. And then I just want to recognize this incredible post that we got from a listener that was listening to the podcast how to make your future bigger than your past. And this is what the podcast listener said. Love the reminder. Focusing on today, learning a little and embracing failure truly shapes a bigger future. You’re exactly right.

Mark Cole:
That’s why we’re here doing what we’re doing. We will see you next week. We’ll bring another episode to you that will help you, I promise you. And until then, go do something powerful positive with your leadership, because everyone deserves to be led.

Maxwell Leadership Certified Team:
Hey podcast listeners, many of you listening right now would probably love the autonomy that comes with owning your own business or becoming a coach that helps other businesses succeed. Well, we have a phenomenal strategy where you are 100% in control of your own business, earning income on your own terms, and have access to the people, tools and resources you need to build a thriving leadership development business. When you become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member, you join a global community of entrepreneurs led by our expert team of mentors and faculty, including John C. Maxwell. You’ll also get one of the top leadership certifications in the world next to your name, giving you the boost you need to get started. Visit us online at MaxwellLeadership.com/JoinTheTeam to find out more.

Transcript created by Castmagic.